Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300801545 - Gary Martin Farming

Inspection Information - Office: Fresno District Office

Inspection Nr: 300801545

Report ID: 0950625

Date Opened: 03/14/2001

Site Address:
Gary Martin Farming
18357 Ave 296
Exeter, CA 93221

Mailing Address:
800 No. Vista, Visalia, CA 93292

Union Status: NonUnion

SIC:0179

NAICS: 0

Inspection Type: Accident

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Safety

Close Conference: 07/11/2001

Emphasis:

Case Closed: 09/30/2004

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Accident	362285611

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	2			1		3
Current Violations	2			1		3
Initial Penalty	$12,150	$0	$0	$100	$0	$12,250
Current Penalty	$10,935	$0	$0	$100	$0	$11,035
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citaton Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event
1.	01001	Other	3455	07/19/2001	08/20/2001	$100	$100	$0	08/22/2001	J - ALJ Decision
2.	02001	Serious	3455	07/19/2001	08/20/2001	$135	$1,350	$0	08/22/2001	J - ALJ Decision
3.	03001	Serious	3455	07/19/2001	03/14/2001	$10,800	$10,800	$0	08/22/2001	J - ALJ Decision

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 201082773

Event: 03/13/2001

Electric Shock - Direct Contact with Overhead Line

Employee #1 had been hired in 1995 as a seasonal worker and subsequently as a fulltime employee for approximately 4 years. His main duties included general farm labor, pruning, tractor work, and walnut harvesting. One day, Employee #1, who was bilingual, and a coworker (the employer's only other employee) were pruning trees in a walnut grove. The job began at approximately 6:00 a.m. The employees were working from pruning towers. Employee #1 was using a Weldcraft pruning tower (Model No. 25DLGD, Serial No. 09325189DLGD) with a maximum platform height of 7.6 meters. The employer arrived at the site at approximately 7:00 a.m. The employer wanted the trees cut shorter than the employees had been cutting them. Employee #1 was pruning the very last tree of the row, next to a private dirt road. He was in the tower platform, apparently driving the tower backwards. A 12-kilovolt (phase-to-phase) overhead power line ran near the tree, 8.2 meters above the ground. The employee grabbed a power line conductor and was electrocuted. (A pruned branch was directly under the power line.) The tower platform came down with the employee still holding to the power line conductor. His coworker ran to a nearby house for help. When he returned he saw the dead employee drop from the conductor. The employee had not been trained in the hazards of working near overhead power lines.

Keywords: OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, AGRICULTURE, ELECTROCUTED, UNTRAINED, E AG, TREE TRIMMING, AERIAL LIFT

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	300801545			Fatality	Electric Shock	Farm workers

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